


One Troll’s Headache is Another’s Harmony

by Imagi



Category: Trolls (2016)
Genre: Banished Branch, Barb's Rock Circle, Gen, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, RC's, Rock Troll Branch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:21:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25604251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imagi/pseuds/Imagi
Summary: There are a lot of reasons to take a road trip. For many it's a chance to bond with those you cherish, to share old and new stories, to revisit familiar sights.  Or it's an opportunity to branch out into the unknown to experience culture, cuisine and try things that you never dreamed you could...Soooo all in favor of doing the tour, making the rocklings happy and messing around with the other tribes' heads in the process?ROCK!!!!!!!!!Rock Trolls on the other hand...had their own agenda.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 18





	1. Revenge comes in Glitter

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU story. I absolutely LOVE all the trolls of Volcano Rock City and after seeing how awesome Rock Zombie Branch looked in the movie (which I've watched waaaay too many times to count) I went about creating my own AU. 
> 
> Note...Branch is BANISHED from Pop Village years before the first Troll movie took place and later is accepted and transformed into a Rock Troll...minus the zombie thing.
> 
> Depending on how the story goes or that there is interest I may go further in depth in the future. Also this story will contain OC's as well as C/F...Canon/Fanon. In other words...background or nameless characters in the movie who I have given names to since darn it! If you appear for a long time or more then once you deserve a name! 
> 
> Also I like to call the Rock Troll youngsters ROCKLINGS since it not only fits, but seriously since when do Rock Trolls go with the norm anyway? 
> 
> And think about it...Country Trollings, Funk Trollings, Techno Trollings, Classical Trollings, Pop Trollings....then you got the Rocklings. See? Stands out. :D
> 
> Don't mind if anyone uses Rockling/Rocklings term to describe any rock trollings, long as I'm credited, but  
> Echo Cavern/Springs, My Rockling OC's and C/F, as well as Rosie's Valley are mine...please ask if you'd like to use them. :D

________________________________________ **One Troll’s Headache is Another’s Harmony** ________________________________________

_Troll Village 13 yrs ago…_

It was almost time for King Peppy Saved Us All Day and as agreed upon so long ago by the happy go lucky inhabitants, all trolls had to remain quietly in their pods starting from midnight and all the way up till the sun rose and it’s light touched the forest floor in order to conserve their energy to put on the biggest celebration ever for their beloved king and their village’s founding.

And every troll even the overly energetic Princess Poppy followed the rule… most trolls had even taken to wearing soundproof headphones to prevent pre-party temptation. The nightmarish thought of dozing off in the middle of the party or WORSE having to leave early was of course was too horrible for words. But it didn’t mean she had to like it. Currently the fourteen-year-old was glued to her pod’s exit…her body tense and her eyes locked on the night sky.

“It’s still dark out. But soon Mr. Sun will rise, and surprise party plan historic hero will start…all the pieces are almost in order except for that one piece. The food, the decorations, the scenery…everything except that one…piece…and only a few hours before the biggest…party…ever… COME ON MR.SUN RISE ALREADY-Huh?”

Poppy’s would be mental break down and whining abruptly came to an end hearing the sound of rustling and shuffling in void of darkness. “Wait what was… is someone out there? Gah! I can’t see without my flashlight!” Reaching into her bright pink hair, she triumphantly pulled out…

“HA! There’s my…fist? But where did I…” The pink troll then facepalmed. “Right…secret flashlight message party with the Snack Pack of course! Boy that was a whole lot of fun! But that’s not helping me now!” Dresses and scrapbook supplies abruptly flew through the air of the pod as the teenager searched. “Let me see…backup flashlight…Biggie has it…backup backup…DJ Suki…backup backup backup…Cooper has that one…”

________________________________________

By the time Poppy had reached flashlight backup number 30 she was now so absorbed in finding the missing item that she had momentarily forgotten the reason she was searching in the first place. And unknown to Poppy below her dwelling, a cloaked figure was adding the final touches to their own item. “One more tuck here, and a tuck there…turn three inches to the left, add a bow and perfect!” The figure chirped out sliding off the meticulously decorated package that easily towered far above their form.

_“Emergency flashlight to the flashlight I keep as an emergency backup to the backup…Right…I lent that one to Fuzzbert…Gah! Does any troll NOT wearing sound proof headphones have a flashlight?! Come on! Some troll out there! Turn on a flashlight already!”_

Giggling in amusement, the mystery figure pulled said flashlight from their hair…then another one and another carefully placing and aiming them accordingly before turning them on causing the package to glitter enticingly. As expected Princess Poppy’s attention was quickly caught. The figure quickly hid and watched satisfied as the pink troll quickly rushed back to her pod's exit.

_“Wait a hair minute…what’s that? Big……square shaped….and glittery?!” It can only be one thing… some troll has a present! Wait…a giant glittery present mysteriously appears a few hours before my dad’s big anniversary……OH COME ON!!” Leaving a present for who knows who on King Peppy Saved Us All Day and I won’t even know who the gift is for until the sun rises? WHO IN THE NAME OF CUPCAKES AND RAINBOWS WOULD DO THAT?!”_

Said figure just giggled and practically skipped away using the princess’s distraction to climb up a nearby set of mushrooms set directly next to a light purple pod. Stepping inside and closing the door, the cloak was then removed revealing a lemon-yellow troll wearing a simple purple dress. Giggling, she tossed the cloak aside absently before skipping happily past a quaint living room and humble little kitchen right down the hall into a bedroom where another yellow troll, this one dressed as a clown, lay in bed his body and especially his head covered in thick bandages.

“Oh Happy Darling!” I sooo loved my pre-morning walk!” the female chirped happily clasping her hands to her chest as she spun their pod in pure joy. “The morning dew…the fresh smell of flowers…soon to be new life and the happy oh so happy promise of tomorrow…”She cooed parting her hair revealing a bright yellow egg decorated with red swirls.

Despite his vast injuries, Happy Smiles smiled back at his beautiful wife’s enthusiasm as she removed the egg and cradled it lovingly in her arms causing the smile on his red painted lips to broaden especially as she brought their egg near. Slowly he lifted one shaking hand to touch the shell only to come up short. Smiling warmly, the female gently guided his hand the clown troll's eyes lighting up further feeling the warmth of the egg. *1*

“Save your strength my darling. Your loving Patchy will take care of everything. After all I want our trollings to have their wonderful…goofy…clown daddy around for years and years to come.” Said clown smiled back pushing down on the top of his ever present clown nose causing it to honk cheerfully. Though it was a bit of a struggle, hearing the laughter from his wife was well worth it.

"Now Happy you really need to get some rest! Now my darling here's your special mask and your sound proof headphones so the party won't wake you and don't you worry one little thing...I'll make sure that your awake in time to see our little angels start to hatch." Accepting the items the clown slowly but surely dozed off into dream land.

The green haired female waited a moment before closing the door behind her. Sour Patch Smiles closed the door and humming to herself happily walking back down the hall stopping once more this time at a simple picture of a glittery present. With her hands full of precious cargo, her hair moved twisting around to form a literal hand made of hair. Said hand pressed the button causing the wall to shudder and hiss before opening to reveal a hidden room.*2*

Unlike the other warmly lit areas of her home except for a small spot off to the side where a beautifully carved crib had been placed the rest of the room was covered in total darkness. "La La la la la...." Singing to herself, she easily made her way to the crib where two more yellow eggs lay this time swirled with green and purple. After carefully setting her egg next to the its siblings in the crib, she took a moment to admire her babies, one hand on her heart and the other removed a simple button remote from her hair and pressed it.

*CLICK*

Most trolls would have expected a warm and welcoming baby room filled with toys, beautifully carved baby furniture and other needed baby items. Instead tattered and ripped banners hung from every part of the ceiling, hardened slices of smashed cake still lay forgotten on cracked or shattered plates and too many ruined presents to count were piled up everywhere save for the empty center of the room where there was a single white table filled to the brim with darts. Calmly replacing her remote in her hair, Sour Patch walked over to the table and grabbed several of the darts in her hands and hair the smile on her face abruptly fading to a dark scowl as she turned to face her oh so special wall cutout. Closing her eyes she allowed the memories to flood back...

________________________________________

**The Bergens are coming!!!! SMACK! AHHHHHH!!!!**

**The Bergens are coming!!!! THUD! SMASH!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!**

**The Bergens are coming!!!! POUND! CRASH!!! BANG!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!**

_The words haunted her. No matter how random…no matter the work went into keeping it secret....even til the last possible moment, her pod, her cousin’s, the pod her loving Happy Smiles built for the two of them in the midst of a heavily flowered tree…HE still found her._

_Like a wrecking ball the colorless troll barged in…smacking her poor Happy aside and then preceding to leave destruction and a toppled cake in his wake as he crazily ranted and screamed about long gone cannibals finding them. And despite the hair drills that went on well into the next day there was no clawed hand reaching out from the darkness…no firm thud of the trees shaking…no anything._

_Her birthday slash love at first sight first date, her wedding, her anniversary…EVERY party that she had ever thrown or been a part of had been positively RUINED by that black haired grey skinned DEMON! And all ending up with her poor clown husband stuck in bed nursing a bump on the head from the impact._

_And with each careless blow, her Happy suffered. While obviously distraught…Happy had reassured her each and every time that no harm had been done…at least until the banana peel incident. What had once been a simple and harmless gag for a trolling's birthday had almost turned tragic…the many hits on the head he had received over the years nearly doing him in…_

_But her would be day of tragedy had to her shock and delight turned to joy when she felt the tell-tale bumps of eggs starting to form within her grass green hair. Her trio of treasures gave her beloved Happy Smiles the strength he needed to hold on. And as he slowly recovered, they both dreamed._

_Dreamed of the trinity of lemon yellow trollings to come with Happy’s orangish-red locks and her own soft spring green shade. The purple plaid dresses or outfits their beloved babies would wear wonderful blending in their mother's love of gentle purple combined with her clown husband’s proud and joyous plaid. Everything was all too perfect._

_At least until she imagined her trollings first welcome to the world party. Their first Birthday. Their Christmas. First day of Trolling school…First party they would ever throw…EVERYTHING! Each and every event and special moment that a troll would hold dear being ruined by that BERGEN…OBSESSED…LUNATIC!_

With a flash of motion, the darts left Sour Patch's hands and thudded harshly against the full body cutout of Troll Village's infamous grey monster. Smiling coyly, the yellow troll strolled over to the picture and stroked it's terrified dart filled face mentally imaging the real troll in it's stead. “You know grey troll, this project was really quite complicated…it took oh so much time and effort, and energy not to mention my poor widdle fingers are oh so sore and swollen. But it was oh so so worth it. After all today-"

Sour Patch trailed off and a squeal escaped her as she spun around in pure joy. "Ohhhhh!!!! Today! It is going to be an oh so happy day! And best of all everyone is going to get what they always wanted! Happy and I are going to have our three beautiful trollings! Our beautiful beautiful daughters Spring Rose, Rosie Petal and Melodia Harmony will be born today…" *3*

The green haired female trailed off her smile widening mentally picturing the look of horror turning to pain and hurt on the monochrome troll's face. "After all...Rosiepuff WAS a kind, caring and BELOVED member of Troll Village...at least until SOME troll got her unfairly eaten. Oh yes..King Peppy told me the whole story! I think it's only right that some troll would honor her memory...Oh don't look at me like that...after all the only thing you ever cared about is the Bergens. And guess what Branch! After all these years…you’re finally gonna have your Bergen." The chirping yet sweet condescending voice abruptly darkens menacingly.

"I GUARANTEE IT!”

Sour Patch snarled out snapping her fingers harshly the sound echoing throughout the equally sound proofed room. A beat later the expected music came out of nowhere the low chorus of the song making her smile darkly.

_Bye…bye…bye…*4*_

_Bye… bye!_

“You want a Bergen to fight Branch? Don’t worry. I’ll give you one!” The yellow troll shouted out gracefully pirouetting around the room, the broken remains of parties and her babies eggs the only witnesses to her wicked plan.

_Bye bye…_

Abruptly Sour Patch stopped spinning with one outstretched hand pointing at Branch's dart covered picture.

_I’m doing this tonight!_

_And yeah..._

_I’m gonna start a fight…_

_But boy... This oh so right! Oh! Baby come on…_

_I hated you endlessly…_

_My…_

_Parties broken so carelessly…_

Sour Patch sang gesturing to the broken objects and shattered dreams around her sadness turning to pure hate and anger.

_So…now it’s time for you to leave and leave me ALONE!_

Another accusing finger is pointed at the cutout.

_I know I can’t take no more it ain’t no lie!_

_I’m gonna see you out that door!_

The green haired troll mock motioned with one hand while with her hair several darts are thrown.

_Baby bye bye bye!_

In complete sync with the music the darts hit the cutout’s face with deadly accuracy before she proceeded into a complicated vengeful dance lunging and shuffling from side side and even a pirouette or two thrown in.

_BYE BYE!_

_No longer gonna be a fool for you…_

_Your gonna be a no good betrayer in this game for two!_

_They will hate you and it ain’t no lie…_

_It’s gonna be bye bye bye bye!_

_BYE BYE!_

More dart’s hit their mark making her smile as she danced mentally picturing the screams reaching a high pitch after being hit in the sun won't shine there land.

_Not gonna make it tough_

_Your gonna learn that we’ve all had enough._

_Sure this plan is crazy but it ain’t no lie!_

_It’s gonna be bye bye bye bye!_

After a final volley of darts, the smiling Sour Patch strolled over to a large present in the corner that surprisingly was undamaged with a horrified puppet Branch placed on bullseye marking on top. Picking up the marionette, she started to move the strings.

_I’m…_

_Gonna hit you with the truth.._

_Now…_

_Boy your gonna be in deep now…_

_Your fate is sealed oh baby come on…_

_That…_

_Torment you placed on me now.._

_I really come to see that…_

_Life will be much better once your gone!_

Slamming the toy onto the bullseye, the present suddenly popped it’s lid, revealing a large Bergen in the box who opened his mouth and roared. Smiling, she threw the terrified Branch puppet in grinning broadly at the pleased look on the Bergen in the box's face.

_I know I can’t take no more it ain’t no lie!_

_I’m gonna see you out that door_

_Baby Your gonna cry cry cry!_

_CRY CRY!_

_No longer gonna be a fool for you…_

_Your gonna be a no good betrayer in this game for two!_

_They will hate you and it ain’t no lie..._

_It’s gonna be bye bye bye!_

_BYE BYE!_

_Not gonna make it tough_

_Your gonna learn that we’ve all had enough._

_Sure this plan is crazy but it ain’t no lie!_

_It’s gonna be bye bye bye_

_BYE BYE!!!_

Cackling wickedly, Sour Patch's laughter was cut short as the eggs in the crib started to shake and crack. Quickly her hair snapped out and wound tightly around each of the cracked eggs forming an impenetrable shell forcing the baby trollings inside their prisons to stay put much to their displeasure.

"Oh! No no no…no! My beautiful angels please! Be patient…it’s only a few more hours…mommy promises. And after what that WICKED troll will do to our beloved home, Troll Village is going to need all the sunshine, rainbows and glitter it can get to recover from something...something...oh so terribly AWFUL! And to think…all of this started out with just …one…little…present…"

________________________________________

She was going to go completely insane she knew it. While the rays of the rising sun were now slowly, but surely descending onto Troll Village, it was also causing the mysterious glitter wrapped present to sparkle enticingly causing the teenage princess to pull at her hair in frustration. Especially as the sun suddenly stopped to yawn and stretch, smacking its lips tiredly.

"Oh that's it! Hey! Sun! Stop with the stalling and hurry it up! I've got the party of all party's today and I'm still not ready! By order of Princess Poppy, I demand that you rise right now! Pretty Please?" *5*

The sudden annoyed shouting of the normally cheerful princess, had caused the sun to suddenly shoot upwards the sudden flare of light causing the trolls in the surrounding pods to wake abruptly. Ignoring the annoyed complaints, Poppy squinted up at the sun that was now high up in the sky staring back down at her in wide-eyed shock.

"I can't believe that actually worked..." She muttered to herself in amazement, just as a sparkle of glitter once again caught her attention. "But no time to question! It's mystery present time!"

Flinging herself out of the pod, her hair sprang out forming makeshift helicopter blades slowing her descent, her eyes sparkling as the present got closer and closer. "Using FIVE different shades of yellow glitter and topping it off with a glittery red bow? Oh some troll is going to LOVE this!" Landing on top of the enormous package she gasped as she spotted the card.

"And glittery rainbow card?! Oh wow! I am so super.....wait...To Princess Poppy from all the trolls who live in Troll Village…" Squealing in excitement, the princess is quick to read the rest unaware of a yellow troll with light green hair watching from a light purple pod above a satisfied smile on her face as the present is opened...

"Hope this gives the wow factor you were looking for…King Peppy deserves nothing less....Oh my dad so totally does! And wow factor WOW! This is like a 10 on the party scale! I mean to make a puppet/costume this big…it's going to take sooo many trolls to even operate it! Which so totally works! I mean Bergens are supposed to be really huge right? Wait...there's another note in the box...."

"Ps. Only a troll who is ungrateful, uncaring and completely incapable of any action other than that pure selfishness, rage and a willingness to hurt others? Would dare to ruin King Peppy Saved Us All Day. I mean all trolls are kind, and loving, and absolutely love Troll Village...LOVE King Peppy, Troll Village and everything that is cupcakes and rainbows! And GLITTER! Did I mention the glitter? All trolls absolutely love glitter. Can you imagine any troll who doesn’t? Or a troll who would willingly HURT trolls? I mean how positively unlike a troll would that be? Only an absolute MONSTER or a DEMON would be so so CRUEL! To have a troll like THAT in the Village? Could you even imagine...ANY troll do such a horrible thing? Why dare I say it...shouldn't a troll like that be....banished? Oh! I mean...Glitter! Rainbows! Things that Sparkle! Hooray for King Peppy Saved Us All Day!"

Poppy let the hand holding the note sink to her side as she stared into space in confusion and a tiny bit of worry. "Wow…that’s kinda of ominous…and that last part was a little odd..." Just as quickly she brightened up. "But completely untrue! Every Troll LOVES cupcakes and rainbows! And glitter…lots and lots of glitter! I mean Pfft!! A troll who is selfish and who is actually even capable of hurting another troll? (Snickers)…that is so NOT possible!"

Flinging away the unsettling note carelessly, Poppy dove back into the box squealing in delight at the detailed features and newly discovered treasures. " The mouth is able to open and close too?! This...is...PERFECT! SBFBC or Super Big Fake Bergen Costume/Puppet able to pretend eat trolls CHECK! And now that we finally got the last piece Troll Village can finally put together that reenactment play! Watch! As the EVVVVVVIL Bergen tries to eat trolls when all of a sudden *GASP!* The Great King Peppy comes to save the day!!!!! This is going to be the best party ever!" *6*

________________________________________

_Imagi’s Ramblings:_

_Now might be a good time to mention…I absolutely LOVE Roller Coasters…twists…turns…messing around with people’s heads in the process…and what comes next....well you'll just have to wait and see. :D_

_1....2. Soooo…remember the troll who had her birthday, wedding and husband’s funeral ruined by Branch’s Bergen warnings? Yeah...Alt Universe. With her husband almost dying combined with her baby trollings she's officially gone of the deep end. My fanon name for her is Sour Patch (Patchy) Smiles and her husband is Happy Smiles…figured it fit the clown troll well._

_3\. Rosie Petal, Spring Rose and Melodia Harmony are all names that Branch could possibly use to honor his Grandma....so naturally Sour Patch would use them for her own babies._

_4\. How many times I listed to Bye Bye Bye by NYSNC. Which I of course do not own. Think I did okay with the revenge song lyrics though._

_5\. Poppy will be Poppy, but Poppy is also a teenager right now._

_6\. You know that moment where your just not thinking and what you think is a great idea turns out to actually be a really REALLY bad idea?_

_Til next time! :)_

_Imagi_


	2. Technical Difficulties

Imagi’s Ramblings: Day off and momentary puppy downtime…I’m updating. Sooo…. anyhow your all probably wondering where do all the Rock Trolls come in? I mean this story is all about them, right? Answer is…well…soon. Now prepare yourself for pieces of the SAME story jammed together in a mismatch of fairy tale, angst and violence…kinda of like…someone keeps changing tv channels…

Thanks for the kudos and the bookmarks. :)

_Far too many generations ago, Troll Tree Forest was the most beautiful place in the world, filled with lush springs, an abundance of fruit and countless trees. The Troll Tree lay in the center of it all…a gigantic, towering tree filled with thousands of Trolls all enjoying a lifetime full of hugs and happiness. Or rather they did._ _Once the Bergens came everything they knew was gone. Giant hands appearing out of nowhere, Troll after Troll vanishing with it into jagged toothy mouths and the forest they loved so dearly, being ripped away as the Bergens claimed the land for themselves._

_The Troll Tree which had been the main sanctuary as well as the pride and joy of the Trolls became their literal iron cage prison. No troll no matter how clever could hide. Not with a well-placed Bergen kick to the base of the tree. That sudden kick had sent more trolls falling to their doom then they could count._ _Thousands became a thousand. And then a thousand became hundreds. With each passing Trollstice, trolls became fewer. But despite all the tragedy, Trolls lived on. They continued to hug, dance and sing almost defiantly trying to forget and to just be trolls._

_And as long as it was nowhere near Trollstice, the Trolls were safe. Until that horrible morning. A young troll was out one of the Troll tree’s branches singing happily. Completely unaware that the bane of all Trolls…Chef, had secretly opened the gate OUTSIDE of Trollstice._ _Until with one sharp push and a scream of fear that was abruptly cut off his world was changed forever._

_Chef Bergen had declared his dear grandma as her post Trollstice well deserved treat. The Trolls declared it the final straw. And the newly gray and orphaned trolling realized something important…in a world where the Bergens exists…there is nowhere in the world that is safe for a troll._

_Months had passed since he had lost his grandma and still nothing had been done. As King Peppy and the older trolls met once again in deep conference to decide their next action, he had had enough. Already excluded by Trolls and Trollings alike over his colorless skin, heart-broken and feeling unimaginable guilt and pain over causing his grandma’s death he did the unthinkable._

**PAUSE!**

The image of the small grey trolling froze on the screen and there was the sound of something clattering, wind blowing and then nothing. A few minutes passed before another sound was heard this one of soft thunder. 

**CLICK!**

Damage. Damage lay everywhere in the now war-torn village. Broken pieces of costumes, the ruined stage and the destroyed desserts. All those wonderful desserts now lay in pieces. Glitter balls so lovingly packed now soaked into a hardened unusable mess. And more then one troll’s hair would never be the same. One troll had even…stubbed their toe! The sight of it all had the once happy pink princess practically in tears.

“Branch.” She said softly in a heartbreaking tone that could melt any heart. “How could you…All of this because you couldn’t…you couldn’t…”

Out of the corner of her eye she looked for some sign of remorse from the colorless male who clearly wasn’t listening. His eyes of course not where they should have been on the poor innocent trolls tangled together in a horrific web by their hair, or the “badly injured” troll having his poor foot wrapped carefully in a protective cast. No, his gaze was glued on the play props that lay scattered among the debris. Frowning she tried again.

“Months of hard work…all that choreography, set design…all that wasted.” She added in a slightly louder voice somewhat reassured somewhat seeing the grey grouch sink to his knees near a fallen troll and had expected a warm, welcoming heartfelt apology. She even had a non-official hug time ready…eager arms open fully prepared for Branch to tearfully break down.

_“I’ve…been a horribly awful troll! But I’ve now seen the glittery rainbow light and from here on out…Who CARES about the BERGENS! Not when everything is HUG TIME, CUPCAKES AND SPRINKLES AND JOY!”_

_The pain and anguish the grump felt replaced by a gigantic happy smile as he danced and sang along, the grey fading away into a brilliant teal with vibrant purple hair, blue eyes shining like the sun as they stared into hers, lips puckering…_

The sudden, but pleasant daydream made her cheeks turn to a darker pink. Smiling, she turned back…to see Branch instead pick up one of his…WEAPONS! And held it close to his chest whispering something quietly under his breath.

_“You…broke into my home. Wrecked my things…just to “borrow” my traps and warning system as a play prop.”_

Poppy let out an inaudible gasp and her frown grew at the sheer “callousness” and disregard of the grey troll and made it quite clear, her voice purposely pitched louder to show her displeasure and heartbreak. “You could have picked any day…but you choose that one. “It was just an innocent party for my dad…and you ruined it like always.”

The colorless Troll froze for a moment…and then the storm hit. The spiky snap trap weapon with a quick snap disappeared into Branch’s inky black mane at the same moment the grump spun to face her blue eyes burning from rage. “Innocent?! There is nothing innocent about it! You BROKE into MY HOME! WRECKED my things! And you STOLE MY traps… MY WARNING system to use as PROPS for your little play!”

**PAUSE!**

Branch froze in mid outburst causing the grey cloud child with a dark bow watching the screen to blink in surprise. At least until she noticed another cloud kid now blocked her view holding a bowl of popcorn in one purple hand and the missing remote in the other. Rumbling unhappily, she left her spot on the couch and floated over to the other cloud kid with her hand outstretched. “Windy I was watching that.” The cloud kid stated fully expecting the remote to be returned. In response Windy suddenly blew out sharply causing a strong gust of wind that sent her tumbling away.

“Don’t give me that Stormy. You changed the channel I was watching first.” Windy retorted aiming the remote at the “tv screen.” ***1***

**CLICK!**

_Not only did he leave the Troll Tree, but he deliberately placed himself into a Bergen’s path and stood there waiting. Waiting for the bony hand to grab him…to lift him up into the jagged mouth and then…the trolling shivered at the thought but stood firm. This was his punishment after all. He deserved it._ _But as the minutes maddingly passed he could no longer take the waiting. Grey eyes opened slowly and then shot open seeing he was surrounded by Bergens…all walking around him as if he weren’t there. And it was there that he found his answer._

_In Bergen Town a land full of dull browns, greens and greys a Troll could be spotted a mile away due to their brightly colored or glittered skin and their tendency to sing and dance out of the blue in happiness. And if not eaten outright they were immediately captured. Yet his size and his monochrome features were to his benefit. And he took full advantage._

_Silverware the Bergens carelessly dropped, a broken Bergen handsaw, Troll tools and maps that had been taken from the Trolls long ago, discarded odds and ends. And all impossible to transport on the ground without getting caught. So, the young trolling found another way. Day by day, little by little, inch by impossible inch and through lots of trial and too many errors to count they found their way to the Troll Tree._

…

As Windy watched the fairy tale like beginning, her greyish-white color gradually brightened back to white, and her yellow bow regained its puffy stature. Stormy however had returned from her unexpected trip her own grey color darkened to almost the same color as her bow and her rumbling increased in volume as she yanked the remote back.

**CLICK!**

“You can’t just excuse this Princess!”

“And you can’t excuse yourself from the damage!” The anonymous note was right! No matter where you go some Troll always gets hurt! And your…well your just jealous! If it weren’t for my dad wishing to the troll spirits in the sky, we would have never been gifted the tools needed to escape the Troll Tree!” 

_He had tried to remain calm. That’s what he had always done. It didn’t matter if no Troll ever wanted to be near the colorless one. It didn’t matter if the grey troll got hurt…grey trolls were emotionally empty and incapable of feelings. Teaching it anything was a waste of time…it just wants attention…just ignore it and it will eventually go away…_

_Each Troll excuse was another lesson in the book of survival for the young trolling. He had to learn everything on his own because no troll out there would teach him otherwise. And as the years had passed so did his skills. Each and every one hard earned in the school of hard knocks._ _And through it all he continued his lonely vigil. After all nothing mattered really…as long as he could keep the Bergens away…as long as he had his bunker…nothing mattered._

_At least until Princess Poppy did the UNFORGIVABLE. And as she tearfully bemoaned the destroyed party, the secret that he had kept since he was a young trolling came bubbling out._

**CLICK!**

“Give..me…the…remote!!!”

**CLICK!**

_“The Troll Spirits have given us a sign!” King Peppy had announced out triumphantly early one morning while behind him several trolls proudly held up the tools of their salvation high. “They have seen our plight! Known our struggles! And in one voice declared…No more! There will be no more Trollstice! No more pain! No more unhappiness! And above all…No Troll left Behind!!!!”_

_While the Trolls of the Troll Tree roared out their approval…high above them, on a Bergen’s rooftop and out of sight of Troll and Bergen alike lay the grey trolling. Injuries, bruises and pure exhaustion having long since knocked him out._

**_CLICK!_ **

NO.

**CLICK!**

“It WASN’T Troll Spirits! And King Peppy didn’t “mysteriously” find the tools to keep us safe they were launched into the Troll Tree from a Bergen roof!”

GASP!!!!

**CLICK!**

_By the time he had come to, the plans had already been put into motion. One where every troll and trolling had an important job to do…except him. They thought he could do nothing but interfere…that he would indirectly or directly make the Bergens get wind of their plan…they had no idea…and as time passed, he found himself not caring anymore. If every troll was safe, that was all that mattered._

**CLICK!**

Branch didn’t need to look up to know everyone in the village was now watching. They always were. Groaning at his interference yet watching and listening for him to make a mistake. And for once instead of his misfortune and failures, he was going to give them something to talk about…that was going to rock their glittery cupcake and candy-coated worlds.

“Yeah that’s right…the grey songless freak actually has a heart! And at the age of almost FIVE instead of just going we need a plan we need a plan…I actually DID something about it! I didn’t “mysteriously” disappear or “mysteriously” get injured for attention…I RISKED MY LIFE! Not once…not twice, but MULTIPLE times in Bergen Town to get those tools in the first place!”

For a brief moment he relished in the dead silence. Some of the phantom weight he had carried for thirteen whole years starting to lessen with his confession…. until it crashed down on him at the sight of Princess Poppy’s eyes hardening and his heart sank.

“…I can’t believe you… You would…your actually trying to take credit for what King Peppy…your King… MY DAD did? For saving your life?”

“What?! I’m not saying-”

“Well it certainly sounds like it! How the tools got to the Troll Tree is not important! What’s important is that they did, and you should be grateful!”

“Not important?! You have NO idea how hard it was! Pulling with hair and hand… HOPING that the Bergens wouldn’t notice the missing or out of place item which they would then put BACK and you’d have to start again!” Branch snapped before looking away. “NO trolling… grey or not should have to go through that.” 

Princess Poppy paused hearing the normally rough and sarcastic tone fall away leaving a moment of clear vulnerability and pain. The rest of the village looked unsure of themselves as well.

***CRASH!!!!***

“Oh Help! Some Troll Help me! Those awful…AWFUL traps hurt my newborn trollings!”

The brief hints of sympathy was gone, and the dark glares combined with a recently freed Smidge cracking her fists caused the grey troll to be taken aback.

**CLICK!**

As the two cloud girls fought, the coveted remote is dropped unnoticed onto the floor where it is picked up by a blue hand. The new cloud kid’s smirk over his sister’s antics turned to a scowl causing his propeller hat to spin on his head as he noticed what they were watching.

“Ugh! Not this sappy mush again!”

**CLICK!**

Bleh! Pfft!!! Branch sputtered and spat violently trying to get the vile taste of paint out of his mouth, before having to force himself to take another breath as he was dunked into yet another can of brightly colored paint by the gleefully sadistic Bergen Chef. Left reeling by both his sudden banishment, the pain from the strange pink light that was apparently in his chest being harshly ripped away and being mercilessly launched away from Troll Village, he had been easy prey for an eager Bergen.

Especially when he fell directly into the palm of her hand.

“Hmmm...still some grey here…maybe I should add a bit more pink……” The murderous Bergen mused to herself before dunking the now paint soaked troll into yet another colorful can of paint grinning cruelly hearing each pain filled gasp and violent cough.

And by the end of the day she would be hearing that oh so beloved chorus of “music” combined with the grateful cheers from her Bergens over the triumphant return of their queen…chef.

But Branch was nothing, but resourceful. Especially under pressure and he had more than one trick up his hair or rather…traps. Between his paint forced dips he had noted the paper filled chalkboard, the paper decorating the side of the wooden trailer and the ground littered with paper. Each and every one filled with red circles and x’s…which to his horror were dangerously close to Troll Village. Then his eyes fell on the cooking grill next to the trailer…

And as Chef gleefully laid out her plan to capture the other trolls, reinstate Trollstice and become the rightly Queen of Bergentown he finally acted. 

“Before I go…I just have ONE thing to say to you!”

“And what is that….AHH!” Chef screamed out in pain as she suddenly finds one of her fingers now had a sharp object wrapped around it. Thinking quickly, Branch barely had enough time to launch one final trap directly into the cooking grill before he was flung away from the camp in reflex. 

“Why you little! No…no where did you go! NOOOOOOOOO!”

“That was for my grandma!” Branch called back a vengeful smile of triumph now on his face he watched from up high as sparks from the grill land directly on most of the Bergen’s maps causing years of hard work to literally go up in smoke. Not only did he save his former home, but the feral scream of rage from Chef absolutely echoed for miles cutting through even the most Poppy Poptastic Party. A final warning that he had no doubt every troll in the village could hear.

As he flew high in the air way past the startled setting sun, into pure darkness lit with millions of tiny little lights, he looked around in wonder ignoring the strange feeling in his chest. The pain and the feeling of loss that was dulled by accomplishment, gradually faded away as he gave in his eyes closing in peace…

Completely unaware that he was no longer soaring through the air and heading directly for the ominous mouth of a giant winged skull…

…

CRASH!!!!

The cloud boy snickered as the normally cool and unruffled Rock Trolls of Volcano Rock City jumped in surprise, skilled hands harshly jarring against their instruments creating a discord of notes and the singer’s voice literally strangling the final note. The surprise did not last long as their gazes automatically turned to the unconscious troll who literally crashed the stage and their darkened eyes narrowed. 

The cloud boy’s enjoyment over his program though quickly came to an end by the sister video screen blockade. Unfazed he literally went for a higher view literally jumping off the couch and hanging in midair a trick his sisters had yet to replicate to their annoyance.

“Jr.! We were watching that!” Windy pouted while Stormy next to her nodded in agreement. Jr. on the other hand just rolled his eyes. “Pfft. It’s not like we haven’t seen it all like a hundred zillion times…”

“…You haven’t seen the climax…the most pain inducing, gut wrenching…” Stormy tried to bate only to receive another roll of the eyes in return.

“You mean the moment where Sour Patch destroyed her own pod, the King’s pod and then faked her own baby trollings injuries to make sure Branch got banished? Sappy mush is what it is.”

“It’s not Mush its Romantic Angst Tragedy!” Stormy bit back before looking skyward her eyes shining. Being betrayed by the one you love, cast into a void of despair...”

“And the “mysterious” glowing pink string they found!” Windy chirped happily her eyes also bright. Unfortunately for them the cloud boy was not taking the bate.

“Oh you mean the pink leech excuse me “Pop string” that literally ripped away the Pop music inside him before he got banished?” Jr. emphasized receiving eager nods in return. “Yeah…Hard pass.” ***2***

**CLICK!**

“Hey man! If you think you’re going to come here and sing some of that happy go lucky swill you’ve got-”

He had long surpassed his tolerance level for troll antics and shenanigans. The backstab ambush of his village who cared for nothing but their own happiness, the phantom stinging coming from his chest, the forced “happy troll” makeover by the cannibal Bergen Chef and now this. And as the mohawked female ranted, the mental dam finally broken. 

“I haven’t sung a note since a Bergen ATE my grandma in front of me thirteen years ago!” Branch snapped out causing the angry darkly dressed trolls surrounding him to recoil. “And I spent YEARS preparing for those Troll eating MONSTERS to come back because they ALWAYS come back any troll who lived in the Troll Tree knows that!”

As the solidly greyed out Pop Troll vented his anger, he was unaware that his voice was reverberating throughout the enormous stadium, the disgruntled tribe’s violent protests over his mere presence staring to die down as they watched stunned especially over the last part.

“Wait did he say eat trolls?!”

**PAUSE!**

“HA! Stormy crowed as with one lucky bounce she reclaimed the remote. Ignoring Jr.’s angry protests over the remote theft, she went to change the channel only to pause and stare at the screen in consideration. “…You know what I’m good with this.”

**UNPAUSE!**

“And instead of taking me seriously what do they do? Oh Branch…your always so worried about the Bergens…the Bergens are long gone…oh Bergens yada yada We obviously don’t care! Let’s throw a wild and crazy parties that will lead the Bergens right to us! And sure yeah I ruined the big production surprise of King Peppy saved us all from being eaten 13 years ago on Trollstice party the princess set up but what a way to celebrate!”

**PAUSE!**

“Well…it wouldn’t be a fairy tale if there wasn’t some gloom and doom and a scary part…but he didn’t have to be so mean about it.” Windy pouted now holding the remote only for Stormy to yank it out of reach.

**UNPAUSE!**

“Hey you know what is a great idea? Let’s make a giant Bergen puppet that looks like it’s attacking and eating trolls! I mean what a way to celebrate an anniversary about not being eaten by ending up in being eaten! Of course, I overreacted! I work my BUTT off setting up all those traps and decoys to get those giant cannibals to search everywhere in the forest away from Troll Village and I get banished for it! And no not just a get out they make a whole song and dance of it!”

Vaguely the grey troll was aware that they were staring at him, these dangerous rough and tumble and refreshingly slightly greyed out trolls staring at him dumbfounded, but for once he did not care. The trauma and pain of the day slightly washing away as he vented no longer caring about future consequences. 

**PAUSE!**

“HEY!!! Get your own popcorn!”

“It’s MY Popcorn!”

“Nuh uh! Mine!”

**PAUSE!**

“And that knotty haired WIG wearing Witch did that on purpose! The stems on those pods were CUT! And those poor “badly” hurt new- hatched? She didn’t even put the bandages on right! Not a scratch on them! ANY troll who actually LOOKED could see that!”

The Pop Troll’s hands had gravitated towards his hair in agitation as he spoke, and he suddenly stopped in mid rant his eyes wide with horrified shock. With a scream of rage, he pulled out a large super flowery scrapbook and flung it to the ground harshly causing the book to bounce once before the pages opened on its own causing him to freeze as a babyish yet shrew like voice came from the pages... ***3***

**PAUSE!**

“Jr.! Put the gummy duckies and raspberry sauce on your own popcorn!”

“PFFFTTT!”

“That’s it!”

“…Sigh.”

**UNPAUSE!**

Princess Barbara’s hands shook, and her eyes twitched. Badly she wanted to punch something preferably the shrew and she could tell the rest of her fellow rockers felt the same. The sheer depth of the backstabbing was a mind-blowing blow and predictably the pop troll broke, the blue fire in his eyes fading to almost grey as he fell back wordlessly barely being caught by Sid and Riff.

No sooner had Branch been taken away by the pair, did she act hurling the shrew’s parting gift into one of the lava flows disintegrating it instantly to riotous cheers.

**CLICK!**

_Exit…Light! Enter…NIGHT!!! Take my hand!_

_Never care for what they do…Never care for what they know…_

_It starts with one thing I don’t why. It doesn’t even matter how hard you try…_

_Arms wide open…I stand alone! I’m no hero! And I’m not made of stone… ***4***_

Branch went rigid as the notes from the stereo traveled through him…unlike the music of pop the songs of rock were speaking to him. Unknown to him the familiar painful pink throb of his chest mark was somehow lessened by a flare of red. And while he did not see it, his constant watchers did. Exchanging a pleased look, Sid and Riff kept the music albums kept coming... ***5***

**CLICK!**

“Windy! Stop flipping the channels!”

**CLICK!**

Instantly spotting the dead-end Branch quickly spun around in time to see the Riff, Sid, Zander and Rivers block the exit leading out of the cavern. ***6*** Spotting the slight hint of hurt on the grey troll’s face, Riff was quick to speak up.

“Okay first off just want to say that we’re your friends. So that’s why we’re doing this. Riff stated hurriedly watching in relief as the Pop Troll’s guarded stance relaxed.

“Wait doing wha-Oh is this some kind or rock troll bonding talking about our feeling thing?” Branch mock emphasized with his hands causing some chuckles and eye rolls from the Rock Trolls.

“That part comes after. Right now comes the cleansing.” Zander stated nonchalantly while Rivers beside him made wild gestures making the survivalist tense.

“Wait what poison?!“

Sid slowly shook his head. “Emotional poison. Thirteen years full of being repressed by Pop? Thirteen? There’s only two ways to draw that kind of infection out.” With a slight nod to the others, Riff pulled out a boombox and hit play.

Before Branch could even wonder what, his male companions were up to, the first chords to _Total Eclipse of the Heart_ started to play. For a moment he stood frozen. But as the song continued, he reacted predictably by trying to escape or destroy the radio. Each attempt becoming more desperate and violent by the minute. The Rockers however fought back. FORCING their friend to face his past.

“But Bergens killed my grandma because I was singing! It was all MY fault!”

“Put yourself in her place man. Any Rock Troll would have done the same thing!”

“And if your grandma didn’t love you more than anything in the whole wide world, she wouldn’t have done what she did!”

“You were a Rockling. Rocklings make mistakes. It…was..an… _accident_.“

“She doesn’t blame you…we don’t blame you! Only one to blame is that Burpen!”

“You said so yourself! The Pop Trolls don’t want to listen, they don’t care. And they threw you out.”

With each vicious emotional jab, the last of his protective walls starts to break apart. Being unable to escape or destroy the radio, he zeros in on an outstretched guitar that Sid is holding. Snatching it away he then proceeded to ram it against the nearest stone wall the rage, sorrow, and anger gradually draining away until he was numb. The strangely enduring guitar dropping from a limp hand as he sank lifelessly to his knees the final notes of the song fading into silence.

After what seemed like forever, he became aware of the hands in front of him.

“But…Troll…Pop Village…”

“Pop doesn’t want you. They made that clear for thirteen years.”

_*random hand gestures*_

“Rivers is right. It’s high time you put all that Pop hurt behind you.”

“Pop might not want you But WE do.”

Seeing the earnest looks on his friends faces finally gave him the courage. The moment his hands connected he could have sworn theirs there was a bright flash of red…but it was quickly put out of his mind as his now grinning rock companions led him out of the cave.

**Click!**

“Things that go smash!”

**Click!**

“Romance! Fairy Tale! True Love!!!”

**Click!**

“Angst! Tragedy! Agony! Drama!!!!”

**Click!**

The trio of cloud kids tugged and pulled at the remote causing the images on the tv screen to flash by wildly as they fought.

“Let go!”

“You let go!”

“Both of you let go!!!!!!” 

With one final combined tug the remote broke. In disbelief the trio looked at the ruined device and then slowly at the tv screen which was frozen in a combination of different scenes, A grey troll flung through the air away from Pop, the same troll crashing onto the stage of Rock City surrounded by baffled and annoyed Rock Trolls and finally the troll undergoing a tribal change the tainted pink glow of energy emitting from the hateful pink marking on his chest finally being overtaken by healing red, the leaf vest evaporating revealing the pink starburst being replaced by a black skull and the horrid color clash of bright teal and colorless grey turning to a Rock Troll's muddy blue. ***7***

“…. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!”

Hearing the wild and rough cheers unexpectedly coming from below them, the trio stared at each other with wide eyes before turning to the cloud flour of their home or specifically the large hole in the floor. Down below the Rocks Trolls of Volcano City were looking up at the sky and cheering wildly at the images from the sky tv that were clearly frozen across the night sky for all to see. ***8***

“………DAD!!!”

_Imagi’s Ramblings: Are we confused yet? :D_

_1 and 2. So Cloudy, Stormy and Jr. are apparently the official names of Cloud Guy’s daughters and son. Because of Branch’s early encounter with Chef, Cloud Guy met his wife years before TWT would have happened thus they are older. Also remember that the six strings originally came from the hair of their ancestors. Somehow I could picture the Pop troll who caused the rift in the first place creating this ultimatum.. if your not Pop you can't have music._

_3\. 100% I firmly agree with touching another Troll’s hair on purpose and without permission is Taboo…and so is secretly placing an object inside of it without a troll’s knowledge. Also, the derogatory hair comments…yeah only said when a troll is that upset._

_4\. Instead of just going for the classics I am also choosing Rock songs I feel would fit Branch. Song lyrics mentioned: Metallica- Enter Sandman and Nothing Else Matters, Linkin Park-In the End, Five Finger Death Punch-Wrong Side of Heaven_

_5\. My story...Trolls who are literally ousted from their entire tribe especially the Pop Tribe are marked. Branch has a marking of a pink starburst that constantly would throb painfully as punishment. The flashes of red light that he has not seen or thinks he saw is his growing connection to the Rock Trolls which they naturally subtly encourage whenever possible hoping for a Tribal Change._

_6\. Sooo…remember the pair of background trolls that share a side glance on the angler bus when Barb complains that you can’t just become best friends? I’ve given them names and more of an identity hence the Canon/Fanon. I’ll go more into them later._

_7\. In my story a Trolls Tribal Change is where a troll not only accepts and is in turn accepted by another music tribe, but the connection is so strong that it results in a transformation. With Branch other than being born Pop he IS a Rock Troll and he looks and acts accordingly._

_8\. Yep. The entire time the tv/movie screen that the Cloud Kids were looking at was the night sky. And lets face it…Cloud Guy WOULD literally turn the story of Branch’s life into a fantasy, angst violence filled drama tv or movie series for his kids._

_Part two of this comes soon… just got a little too long. Thanks for the kudos and the views! :) Please review so I know what you think. Again I love roller coasters so expect lots of twists!_

_Imagi_


End file.
